The most awaited festive season for the Indians is at the doorstep. Delicious cuisines especially desserts are being prepared as a favourite part of festivals be it Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Onam, Navratri, Janmasthami or Ganesh Chaturthi. Since meals are an integral part of all these festivals, they taste best when prepared at home. Here are some recipes you can check out;
Badam Ragi Laddoo
We all are well aware of the benefits of Ragi. It is a whole grain that is gluten-free, here’s a healthy and tasty recipe shared by Chef Rajesh of MTR Foods:
Ingredients:
- Ghee – 35gm
- Ragi flour– 100gm
- Badam mix– 35gm
Method of preparation:
- Step 1: Heat ghee in a pan, add ragi flour and roast on low flame until fragrant and dark brown or 3-4 minutes. Leave aside to cool.
- Step 2: Add the badam drink mix and mix well. Shape into lime size balls and store in a container.
Flax seed laddu
Flaxseed is a plant-based food that provides healthful fat, antioxidants, and fiber. Some people call it a “functional food,” which means that a person can eat it to boost their health. What else could be tasty and healthy than the laddus of the same! Here’s a recipe shared by a nutritionist Ms Amrita Pandey associated with Organic India:
Ingredients:
- Flax seeds 4 tablespoons
- Jaggery 1 tablespoon
- Cashew 100 gm
- Almonds 100 gm
- Raisins 1 tablespoons
- Cardamom powder ½ tsp
Method of preparation:
- Roast all the dry fruits in a pan.
- Keep it aside and let it cool.
- Finely chop all the dry fruits
- Mix jaggery and ghee, and all the dry fruits together. Now put cardamom powder
- Form laddu from the mixture
Khoya Samosa
Here’s another lip-smacking sweet with a twist, this Ganeshotsav try a sweet khoya samosa! The unique recipe shared by Nidhi Singh of Samosa Singh:
Ingredients:
- Khoya – 1 cup
- Cashewnuts chopped –2 tablespoon
- Almonds chopped –2 tablespoon
- Cardamom powder –1 teaspoon
- Dried coconut grated –3 tablespoon
- Powder sugar– 3 tablespoon
Method of preparation:
- For the filling, add the khoya to a pan and cook until slightly browned.
- Add cashew nuts, almonds, cardamom powder and coconut and mix well.
- Add sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes until the filling starts to leave the sides of the pan and is dried.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the filling cool.
- Take the prepared mixture and make the samosa as per the desired size.
- Deep fry in medium hot oil till golden brown. Serve hot.
Try Out Tasty And Unique Modaks At Home!
The delicious modaks (sweet dumplings) are considered to be one of Ganpati's favourite sweets. He is also called Modakpriya in the scriptures owing to his great love for modak. Hence on the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees tend to offer him a bhog of modak. Here are some interesting Modak recipes shared by Chef Arvind Rai of The Ashok Hotel:
Gulab Modak
Ingredients:
- Khoya – 150 gm
- Sugar – 50 gm
- Elaichi Powder – 1 gm
- Gulkand – 75 gm
Method of preparation:
- Grate Khoya and mix together with sugar and Elaichi powder.
- Divide the mixture into small equal sized roundels.
- Stuff each with a pinch of gulkand.
- Put the stuffed roundel into modak shaped mould and set the shape.
- Take out and serve with a garnish of dry rose petals or fresh rose petals.
Pista Modak
Ingredients:
- Khoya – 150 gm
- Sugar – 50 gm
- Elaichi Powder – 1 gm
- Pista – 10 gm
- Almond – 10 gm
Method of preparation:
- Grate Khoya and mix together with sugar and Elaichi powder.
- Divide the mixture into small equal sized roundels.
- Blanch Almond and Pista, deskin and finely chop both
- Stuff each with a pinch of dry fruit.
- Put the stuffed roundel into modak shaped mould and set the shape.
- Take out and serve with a garnish of pista and Kesar.
Chocolate Modak
Ingredients:
- Khoya – 150 gm
- Sugar – 50 gm
- Elaichi Powder – 1 gm
- Chocolate Compound – 25 gm
Method of preparation:
- Grate Khoya and mix together with grated chocolate, sugar and Elaichi powder.
- Divide the mixture into small equal sized roundels.
- Put the roundel into modak shaped mould and set the shape.
- Take out and serve with a garnish of chocolate sticks.
Traditional Modak
Ingredients:
- Rice Flour – 200 gm
- Fresh Coconut – 150 gm
- Jaggery – 120 gm
- Ghee – 10 gm
- Elaichi Powder – 2 gm
Method of preparation:
- In a pan heat 05gm of ghee and sauté grated fresh coconut and grated jaggery.
- Mix them together well over medium heat and finish by adding a little Elaichi powder.
- Remove from fire and put the mixture in a bowl to cool.
- Boil some water in a pan along with 05gm of ghee and a pinch of salt.
- Add rice flour and mix together to form a soft dough.
- Divide the mixture into small equal sized roundels.
- Flatten each ball in the hand, and stuff it with coconut and jaggery mixture.
- Put the roundel into modak shaped mould and set the shape.
- Take out and steam in a double boiler for at least 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Orange Glazed Almond Coated Modak
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- Rice Flour –150 gms
- Water: 120 – 150 ml
For the stuffing :
- Khoya – 50 gms
- Orange Zest (grated Skin) – 1tsp
- Raisins – 05 gms
- Chopped pistachio – 1tsp
- Small cardamom powder – 1/2tsp
- Milk – 3tbsp
For the glaze:
- Canned Orange juice – 300 ml
- Sugar – 50 gms
For Topping:
- Almond Flakes – 10gms
Method of preparation:
- In a pan boil the water, once boiled add the rice flour to it then mix it gently.
- Switch off the flame and cover the pan for 5-10 minutes allowing the rice flour to get cooked.
- Take the cooked rice flour out of the pan, add some ghee to it and knead a dough. Cover and allow the dough to rest.
- For the stuffing firstly grate the khoya then add to it orange zest, raisins, chopped pistachio cardamom powder and milk.
- Mix it well to make a smooth past and allow it to cool in the refrigerator.
- To make the glaze in a pan cooked the orange juice over a low flame one reduced a bit add sugar to it and cook to reduce further.
- When it reaches the coating consistency remove it from the flame and allow it to cool.
- Now for making the modak take a little dough roll it into a ball shape (like chapatti), flatten it well, and shape the edges into the flower pattern
- Place the stuffing in the centre then gradually fold the curves at regular intervals (Flower pattern) going in one direction all over the disc.
- Now we take the top of all the curves and join them from the top in the centre to give the shape of modak.
- We would place the Modaks in the steamer and cook them for around 10 -15 minutes until they get cooked.
- Now we take the cooked Modaks out of the steamer and place them on a plate.
- Dip the top (half) of the modak in orange glaze
- Garnish with Almond flakes and our Modaks are ready to serve.